Switching turn-table.



No. 767,864. PATENTED AUG. 16, 1904. A. E. BROWN.

SWITCHING TURNTABLE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 20. 1904. v

rig MODEL.

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WITNESSES:

latented August 16, 1904.

ALEXANDER EPHRAIM BROWN, OF

BROWN HOISTING INCORPORATED COMPANY.

CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE MACHINERY COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, AN

SWITCHING TURN-TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 767,864, dated'August 16, 1904.

Application filed April 20, 1904.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER EPHRAIM BROWN, mechanical engineer, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, Ohio,

have invented a new and useful Switching Turn-Table, as to which I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, andeXact description, due reference being had and intended to the drawings accompanying and making a part of this specification.

My invention relates more especially to the class of devices whereby overhead trolleys, electric locomotives, cars, or like track-vehicles are reversed upon their track or diverted, as by switching, from one track to another; and its chief usefulness is in enabling any two of several lines or tracks that converge to a common center to be interchangeably connected together for one continuous and uninterrupted haul. At the same time and in addition to that just referred to my said invention has the further capacity of meeting all the requirements of a turn-table proper, whereby locomotives, cars, and other railtraveling vehicles are received and held while they are reversed as to their own lines or redirected as to another.

In the drawings, Figure -I is a down plan view of a device embodying my said invention. Fig. IIisaside elevation thereof. Figs. III and V are downward diagrammatic views of the same when two opposite rails or tracks are thrown into connection, and Figs. IV and VI are like views when the tracks connected by my device are at an angle with respect to each other.

Explaining now the drawings more particularly, A represents a circular trackway made by bending an I-beam to the required form. 4 As shown, said frame is adapted to be suspended and located at the central point of a system ofoverhead converging tracks; These tracks are indicated by the lines R R R R that terminate, respectively, at and beneath the quadrant points of said trackway and which, if produced, would pass through its center. Astride the lower flange a of said I-beam are supporting-trucks T of a rectan- SerialNo. 203,996. (No model.)

gular frame F, that is firmly secured to said trucks beneath the trackway. Said frame is 5 0 made up of the girders g and struts s. The trackway A is dentated along its lower edge, as pointed out by c, and by means of gearing and connections (indicated by g g) driven by a motor mounted on the frame F at M, a rackand-pinion rotatory movement can be given said frame along the flange or track at, from which it is suspended. Transversely of said frame F and beneath the center of the trackway A a straight section or piece B of a track or rail, corresponding as to design and dimensions with that of the terminal tracks or rails R R R R, that are to be served by my device, is rigidly attached -to said frame, and similarly attached to said frame on each side 5 of the section or piece B, I provide two outwardly-curved track sections or pieces C and D. The several sectional tracks just described terminate beneath the trackway A at such points that upon rotating the frame F, to 7 which they are attached, their ends may respectively be brought to abut against and register with the terminals of the tracks which said sections are to interchangeably connect and serve. In order to utilize the sections to interchangeably connect two terminals R R &c., as just referred to, the tracks R R, &c., are made in every case to terminate at points beneath the traekway A that are equidistant'one from the other, and 30 the lines or directions of such tracks at that point are made such that if projected they will each pass through the center of the circular trackway A. Such being the location and disposition of the tracks to be served by my in- 5 vention, the proper span or curve of the tracksections C and D in each case is the are of a sector whose radii are at right angles, respectively, with said tracks R R &c., at their Several terminal points. At right angles to 9 the straight section-piece B and midway of the same I provide upon said frame at each side an extension made up of the converging struts 0 c, at the outer end of which is a stop or guard S. Said extensions and stops project in a suitable manner to be brought in line with two opposite terminal tracks R and R or R and R" when the said frame is rotated for the purpose.

The terminals being arranged relatively to each other and to the frame F as indicated in Figs. I and III, it is plain that the straight section B is in alinement with the ends of the tracks It and R", and a trolley upon one of said tracks can thereby cross over to the other. Under these conditions it is also plain that the curved sections C and D are inactive, but that the stops or guards S S have been brought up against the terminals of the tracks R and 1%", thereby effectually closing them and preventing the escape of a trolley from the end of its track. Should now it be desired to switch a trolley from the track R" to the track R or from the track R to the track R or conversely in either case, the frame F is simply rotated, by means of the rack-andpinion equipment shown, forty-five degrees to the right, which will of course disconnect the crossover-piece B from the position shown in Fig. III and bring-the ends of the curved sections C and D into juxtaposition with the ends of the track R* R and R and R respectively, thereby uniting each pair of tracks and enabling a trolley to pass over from one track to the other without interruption. In like manner by a further rotation of the frame 'F through forty-live degrees a direct crossover between the tracks R and R will be effected, as shown in Fig. V, the straight section-piece B being brought into alinement with those tracks, while the stops S S close and guard the open terminals of the tracks R and R. If the frame F is now either rotated another forty-five degrees to the right or backwardly and to the left from the position shown in Fig. V, the straight piece B will become idle and the curved sections 0 and D will respectively serve the tracks R and R and R and R". It is further manifest that aside from the uses of my device just explained if it is desired to reverse a car or 10- comotive in order' to send it back on its own track the car may be run upon the crossoverpiece B of the frame, as in an ordinary turntable, and the frame made to complete a halfrotation upon the flange-track a, whereupon the car will become reversed and in position to be run back upon the track from which it came.

Although I show and describe my invention when applied to overhead-trolley lines, I do not mean in the broader sense to limit the same to that field. Manifestly the invention may be employed for surface switching, for

instance, Without other changes in construction over that I have shown them the different operative conditions require.

It is to be understood, of course, that while I have shown my switching turn-table as serving but four terminals the number of these can be varied within any practical limit, provided the points at which the terminals are to meet the curved sections O and D are equidistant one from the other. Should the number of lines to be served be kept in multiples of two, it will be apparent that the frame F may be so manipulated in respect to rotation that no more than the two stops S S, as shown, will be needed to prevent the accidental escape of a trolley from off an open end in a series of terminals not exceeding eight.

What I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A device for interchangeably switching cars, trolleys and like vehicles from one track to another of an equidistantly-related series of terminals concentrically arranged with respect to each other, comprising a circular trackway, a frame or platform rotatively mounted thereon, and one or more outwardly-curved track-sections extending across said frame or platform, the distance between the ends of each of said track-sections being the same as that between the members of said terminal series substantially as shown and described.

2. A switching turn-table consisting of a circular trackway a frame or platform, rotatively mounted thereon, having a straight track piece or section centrally across the same, and one or more outwardly-curved track pieces or sections terminating at or near said trackway, the distance between the ends of each of said curved pieces or sections being the same as that between the terminals to be served, substantially as shown and described.

3. A switching turn-table consisting of a circular trackway, a frame or platform, rotatively suspended therefrom, having a straight track piece or section centrally across the same, and one or more outwardly curved track pieces or sections terminating beneath said trackway, the distance between the ends of each of said curved pieces or sections being the same as that between the terminals to be served, substantially as shown and described.

4:. A switching turn-table consisting'of a circular trackway, a frame or platform rotatively suspended therefrom, the said frame or platform being provided with one or more outwardly curved track pieces or sections that terminate beneath said trackway, and whose ends, in each case, are equidistant, one from the other with the distance between-the terminals to be served, substantially as shown and described.

5. In a switching turn-table for overhead trolleys, and like vehicles, the combination with a circular trackway, centrally located with respect to the tracks to be served, of a frame or platform rotatively suspended from said trackway, the said frame being provided with a central cross-piece or track-section, and one or more outwardly-curved track-sections whose ends extend to or beneath said trackway, and are equidistant from one another with the distance between the terminals of the tracks to be served substantially as shown and described.

6. In a switching turn-table for overhead trolleys, and like vehicles the combination with a circular trackwa. centrally located with respect to the tracks to be served, of a frame or platform rotatively suspended from said trackway, the said frame being provided with a central cross-piece or track-section, and one or more outwardly-curved track-sections whose ends extend to or beneath said trackway and are equidistant from one another, with the distance between the terminals of the tracks to be served, and being also provided with suitable means for stopping or closing said terminals when the same are not in position for switching, substantially as shown and described.

Cleveland, Ohio, March 8, 1904:.

ALEXANDER EPHRAIM BROWN.

In presence of HOWARD A. GoUsE, F. G. TALLHAN. 

